


Too Little, Too Late

by On_Sonnshine



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, my Own Men are mentioned but they're not the crux or anything-, set directly after Why Do We Get Out Of Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 04:38:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15598461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/On_Sonnshine/pseuds/On_Sonnshine
Summary: Prompt: Deceit hearing Roman’s comment about Logan being alone, and once it’s all said and done Deceit goes and comforts Logan in his own way.





	Too Little, Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> _HEWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?_

Logan stared down at the rubix cube held tightly in his hand, newly solved, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Though he can’t see it, he knows his knuckles are turning white. Focusing on something other than his own _feelings_ didn’t seem to be working as he’d hoped.  
  
He knew it was idiotic to let Roman’s comment get to him- of course he wasn’t _alone_ , he lived with the others, he _had_ a family. Roman was just lashing out as he so often did, Logan had a-...he had a _family_. And it wasn’t like Roman hadn’t insulted him before, he’d gotten used to the sting, this time should be no different.  
  
It just...he just...he supposed Roman had a point this time.  
  
In the sense that Logan...Logan _felt_ alone. He didn’t feel like he had a family, as much as he loathed to talk about anything regarding himself and so-called ‘ _~feelings~_ ’.  
  
He mused that, well...a _family_ makes you feel accepted, wanted. In a _family_ , you feel safe and welcome to talk to them about... _anything_ , really. In a _family_ , the thought of sharing your interests or interacting with them at all doesn’t drain you and make your skin crawl.  
  
Logan didn’t feel any of those things, and…  
  
Logan shakes his head, tossing the rubix cube aside and reaching up to rub harshly at his eyes, wincing at the wetness that meets his hand. He will not cry. Logic does not cry.  
  
It’s around then that a knock sounds on his door. He barely registers that he doesn’t recognize the pattern- it’s insistent, pressed together into one quick, solid sound. Not loud and spread out like Roman, nor soft and barely there like Virgil.  
  
Despite that, Logan is quick to clear his throat, wiping the tears from his face and drying his hands on the fabric of his pants. He stands up, straightening out his shirt and tightening his tie- making himself as presentable as possible.  
  
He had to be prepared to greet whoever it was- _act blasé, don’t show that you’re affected, logic, you are logic, cold, calculated, a-...a robot. Cold, calm, cool, cold, calm, cool, cold, calm, cool, cold, calm-_  
  
Logan opened his door, expression a slate, vaguely expecting it to be Patton, ready to tell him that _Roman was sorry even if he didn’t want to say it~_. Logan was so sick of hearing that.  
  
You can imagine his surprise when there’s no one there.  
  
Logan frowns, leaning out to look into the hall, inching forward. At the movement, his foot nudges something and he starts slightly, leaning back once more to look down at what he’d touched.  
  
A snake sat there- a ball python. For a moment, Logan thought his mind was playing tricks on him just from the sheer absurdity of what he was seeing.  
  
It only got stranger from there- a yellow, lace ribbon was tied around it’s neck, a note tucked into it. ‘ _-gan_ ’ is visible on the white sheet of paper, and Logan’s frown deepens. The snake had been left for him to find, most certainly, then.  
  
He shoots a look down the hall again. It’d be ill-advised to interact with the reptile, as Logan had no clue where it had come from, but if any of the other three saw the snake there’s no doubt in Logan’s mind that the creature would end up slain.  
  
Knowing that, Logan couldn’t really find it in himself to just shut the door on the poor thing.  
  
Logan hesitantly offered out his leg again, not really expecting it to go as he hoped, but to his surprise, the snake moves, slithering up his leg and curling around him, making it’s way up to his shoulder. It’s docile, settling down on his shoulders easily. Smart creature.  
  
Logan steps back into his room, shutting the door and locking it for good measure before he moves to sink down onto his bed once more. Before he has the chance to move the python onto his bed, it eases down, tail flicking against Logan’s cheek as it does.  
  
Logan chuckles softly, sniffling as he reaches down, hesitating only briefly before offering his hand to the snake. It pauses for a long moment, then eases forward, tongue flicking against Logan’s hand. It rubs against his knuckles.  
  
Logan gives a chuckle, rubbing his thumb over the reptile’s head, gently tugging the ribbon free at the knowledge it wouldn’t bite him for doing so.  
  
He retrieves the note, carefully unfolding the paper, blinking a few times to further clear his eyes.  
  
It begins with a ‘ _Dear Logan,_ ’ crossed out heavily- Logan’s strangely endeared by it.  
  
_Hey,_  
_I’m gonna make this short smart alec; I left Lionel because I heard what Roman said earlier. We all know Prince Meat-For-Brains isn’t the brightest, but if you want the absolute truth, haha ironic yeah yuck it up, he’s, with as much as I can respectfully say, projecting what he knows about himself onto you- alone. I’m not saying it for an excuse- i’m telling you he lied._  
_But if you want some company anyways, and don’t mind hanging out with ~Snake-face Mcgee~, meet me in my side of the mindscape.._  
_Signed, you don’t need me to say it._  
  
Logan lowered the note, staring blankly at the carpet. _Wh-?_  
  
He scans over the note again, frowning. If it weren’t for the snake’s- Lionel’s- presence, Logan wouldn’t even believe it was actually a note from Deceit- but none of the other Sides would touch a snake with a ten foot pole.  
  
It could be a trick, Logan muses to himself. But then again, if it was, would it really matter? He’d find out if the other Sides cared about him if he was captured, or hurt. Not that he particularly thought Deceit had the balls to hurt him in any way shape or form.  
  
There didn’t seem to be much a downside to going. If it was with honest intention, he’d have company for a while. If not, he’d at least know he was useful for something- and he’d learn whether or not the others cared enough to note that he was missing.  
  
Logan gave a silent nod to himself as he carefully wrapped the note in the ribbon, tucking it into his pocket. Lionel took the cue, slithering up onto his shoulders again, curling around his neck. Smart creature.  
  
Logan pushed himself off of his bed with a sigh- his almost-tears were forgotten by now, pushed to the back of his mind, but in their place was a bone-deep exhaustion. He was... _tired_. If you can understand what I mean.  
  
He rubbed at his eyes absently one more time before sinking out.  
  
-  
  
Logan rose up in the so-called ‘dark’ side of Thomas’ mind.  
  
Ironically, it was actually quite warm, the main light off but lamps littered across the room, not to mention fairy lights, giving the room a warm golden glow. Two beanbags sat on the floor- a yellow one and a green one. On the other side of the coffee table sat an orange hang-a-round, among other less descript chairs.  
  
The place was more inviting than Logan’s side of the mind, that’s for sure.  
  
‘Y-you came? Dddddd- _Dee_ has been fr-fr-fretting for an h-hour.’ A soft voice sounds behind him and Logan jerks, twisting to face the source of the voice. It’s a shorter Side, wearing a blue hoodie laced with orange, a ‘ _No Sleep_ ’ beanie, and dark bags under his eyes, smile- just as soft as his voice- adorning his face.  
  
The other Side offers out a hand, and Logan hesitates briefly before slowly reaching out, shaking the proffered hand. The Side smiled at him, relaxing slightly at the friendly gesture. He reached up, gently scratching under Lionel’s chin, cooing for a moment before returning his eyes to Logan.  
  
‘I-I-I-I-I’m i’m Insomnia, b-but. Um-’ The other Side- Insomnia- paused, almost uncomfortably, ‘Ca-ca-can we call you b...by your name orrr- um- L-...Logic?’  
  
Logan paused, a bit surprised- the others had never bothered to ask, revealing his name not only completely without his input, no matter mistake or not, and even before that finding out his name via a journal he’d forgotten in the kitchen. Worse still, that was Roman, who then went and told the others of his finding, stealing the decision right from Logan’s hands.  
  
‘Ah- just Logan, is alright.’ Insomnia offered a smile, nodding.  
  
‘Th-the others um...D-Dee wanted us t-to give you two th-the commons for the n-night, aha,’ Insomnia chuckled, though his expression turned slightly serious on his next words, ‘H-He was s-s-ssso angry when he c-c-... _came back_ , earlier.’  
  
Logan nodded, facial expression still perfectly flat, but internally, he found himself taken aback by the admission. _Deceit was that bothered by Roman’s comment?_  
  
Insomnia shrugs, hands shoving into his pockets, ‘W-w-well, I-I just came down to g-g- _get_ a drink. D-D-Dee is in the kkkkitchen.’  
  
Insomnia tilted his head to the kitchen before walking off, gesturing Logan with him as he went. Logan followed, less hesitant now that a rapport had been created. It didn’t _seem_ to be a trick- and you couldn’t fake such an atmosphere. Warm and jovial, no tension.  
  
Logan knew- Patton had tried. If anything was to be said by how much more at ease he was here, Patton hadn’t succeeded, despite the eldest Side’s attempts.  
  
‘H-hey D-...’ Insomnia glanced back at Logan briefly, ‘D _eceit_ ,’ He amended.  
  
‘Your g-g-guest is here.’ Deceit is sat on one of the stools that were pushed up to the bar- a yellow one. There were two others, a white one and a black one.  
  
Insomnia seemed to note him eying them because he hummed, ‘D-don’t you h-have stools? How do you f-f-fit everyone at the tttttable?’  
  
Logan shot a helpless look between Insomnia and Deceit. ‘No? It’s merely Patton, Roman, Virgil, Honesty, and me. The rest ah...’ Logan’s eyes wander to the floor for a moment.  
  
_Roman was extremely uncomfortable with Obedience and flat-out ignored him, Virgil and Vulnerability never managed to get along when he still lived with them, Superstition and Independence hardly came out of their rooms, and Ca-. Well, Honesty as he insisted they call him, ate with them, but oh lord the tension between him and Patton-_  
  
‘They prefer to eat in their rooms.’ Logan said with a nod, looking between Deceit and Insomnia. Deceit twitched where he was, eyes narrowing slightly- it wasn’t a lie per _se_ \- well, no, it was technically, though the others did eat in their rooms! But, either way, Deceit didn’t say a word.  
  
Instead, he cleared his throat, standing up and brushing his hands off on his sweatpants. It was that motion that made Logan realize Deceit was wearing a black hoodie, a yellow viper surrounded by stars where a pocket might’ve gone on a flannel, gloves and hat missing.  
  
Logan was slightly surprised. He wasn’t sure why- it wasn’t like he’d expected that Deceit would wear the whole villain get-up round the clock.  
  
Strangely, he seemed much softer around the edges in this outfit, though his eyes held a type of fire Logan had only ever seen on Patton, and rare even then- the protective type of anger. Hm. A strange thing to see from Deceit, of all people.  
  
‘Where do the others think you are? I don’t want Mean Girls to come after you.’ Logan paused, frowning. If the warm aura took him off guard, if Deceit’s outfit took him off guard, if this entire proposition at _all_ took him off guard- this took the cake.  
  
Logan didn’t know if he’d thought Deceit couldn’t tell the full truth, or if he thought that it was a shtick, but no matter _what_ he’d thought, the sudden change in tune threw him hard for a loop, and for a moment, he didn’t say anything.  
  
In Logan’s silence, Deceit absently reached out an arm, allowing Lionel to slink down the length of it. Logan jolted slightly, reaching up to rub at his neck the second Lionel slithered up onto Deceit’s shoulders. Insomnia wandered off to the fridge at the lull.  
  
‘I- didn’t tell them I was departing, and it’s not uncommon for me not to answer knocks on my door. I don’t believe they’d deduce my location.’ Deceit nods, relaxing slightly, reaching up to gently run his nails at Lionel’s head.  
  
Lionel nuzzles at Deceit’s cheek, flicking his tongue against the Side, and Deceit makes a brief... _purring noise?_ Logan shook his head, focusing away from the noise and all the questions that exploded in his mind.  
  
‘Why did you invite me here, Deceit?’ Logan is briefly brought back to what had upset him- _**alonealonealonealonealoneyou’realone**_ -, but he ignores it, swallowing back the beginnings of a lump in his throat.  
  
_Logic doesn’t cry. Cold, calm, cool._  
  
Deceit brightens a bit, standing straighter.  
  
‘I thought you’d like to spend a night away from the Sarcasm and Sunshine Brigade.’ Logan would give a little snort at the name, but he’s too distracted by the rest of the sentence to. Out of all the sentences he expected, _that_ was not one of them.  
  
‘Of course, there’s no reason you _have to_ , I just assumed you **wouldn’t** like some company.’ Deceit curls into himself slightly, expression shifting to slight indifference, and Insomnia glances over, frowning.  
  
_Ah._ It wasn’t a _shtick_ , it was a defensive mechanism. Hm. Interesting.  
  
Logan sets that information to the side for now, considering the offer.  
  
Would the others even realize he was gone? If they did, would they worry? Did it matter? Patton wouldn’t barge in uninvited until the morning, all Logan had to do was depart before 7AM.  
  
At that thought, Logan gave a slow nod.  
  
‘I...suppose it couldn’t hurt to stay a while.’  
  
Deceit pauses, almost surprised, and then he offers a smile, ‘Great. What’s your favourite movie?’


End file.
